Tag: spain

Ramblings

Secret Nun Cookies

hongsabroadLeave a comment

Before going to Madrid, I had watched YouTube videos about buying “secret” cookies from cloistered nuns in a 400 year-old monastery. It seemed like a cool experience, and I made a mental note to visit the monastery when we were in Madrid. Of course, now that this has been posted on YouTube, it’s not much of a secret anymore.

The “secret” nun cookies are sold at Monasterio del Corpus Christi, and this was the line when we got there. 😂

Before the secret was out, cookie buyers have to ring a doorbell that reads “Monjas” (nuns) and say, “Tienes dulces hoy?” (“Do you have sweets today?”). If they do, the door would open and you’d walk along a corridor to the turnstile. But because there were already people ahead of us, we were spared this step.

The corridor leading to the turnstile. We had to wait about 20 minutes for our turn.

Here comes the interesting part. Since the nuns are forbidden from contact with the outside world, the entire transaction is completed using a turnstile/lazy Susan (pictured below). You say your order into the turnstile, place your money on it, and within a few minutes, it would turn and your cookies would appear along with any change! It was so fun to witness. This was also the only time we had to use cash in Spain. Can you imagine if the nuns accepted Apple/Google Pay? 😂

The nuns speak only Spanish so Baba had to ask for the cookies in very, very broken Spanish. 🤣 We used Google translate for help but it was kind of hopeless. Miraculously though, the nuns understood what Baba was asking! (If you want to see a video of Baba speaking “Spanish”, I posted it on Instagram.)

We ordered two types of cookies – one was an iced shortbread cookie and the other was a cinnamon cookie. Honestly, they weren’t the most amazing cookies we’ve had, and they were quite expensive (about €12 for 1/2 a kilo). But it was such a cool and memorable experience!

Ramblings

Meet Me in Madrid

hongsabroadLeave a comment

Madrid was our second choice after Taipei for moving abroad. After spending 10 days there – and despite the terrible heat – we agreed we would be happy to live in this enthralling city.

Madrid seamlessly blends the action of a big metropolis with the charm of a historic place. It is vast but also concentrated. Each neighborhood has plenty of awesome restaurants, shops, and things to see/do. The population is diverse, which means more options for international cuisines. 😋

On our first full day in Madrid, we went to Retiro Park, which is a massive green oasis in the middle of the city. It’s beautiful – perfectly manicured lawns, rose gardens, lakes, playgrounds and even a public library nestled inside! It was a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Madrid.

We stopped for lunch at Casa Toni, a restaurant famous for making offal tapas. We munched on spicy pig ears, tripe, sweetbreads, and lamb intestines. Our favorites were the pig ears and sweetbreads. I’m glad C and O have an adventurous appetite.

Afterward, we walked down the block to eat gambas al ajillo, or shrimp with olive oil, garlic and parsley. It was a tapa I absolutely loved when I visited Spain 14 years ago – and it’s still as good as I remembered! It’s one of the pricier tapas at around €12 per plate.

Of course we also had to stop by the Museum of Jamón.

At this point, the heat was getting intense and the kids were complaining. This is where bribes can come in handy! 😆 We brought the boys to the historic San Ginés Chocolate Shop and had churros with chocolate, a favorite treat in Madrid. The churros were airy and light, and the chocolate was silky smooth and not too sweet. The boys were satisfied with this bribe.

We lived in the Moratalaz district of Madrid. It’s a quiet residential neighborhood with mostly locals but it was so far from the city center that we had to commute 30-40 minutes by bus each day. Thankfully, we had 10 days so there was enough time for traveling back and forth, but it’s not a neighborhood we’d recommend for short stays. (There was however, a fabulous outdoor pool near our Airbnb that we loved hanging out at!) If we were to move to Madrid, our neighborhood picks would be either Retiro (we just love Retiro Park!) or Chamberí, also a quiet residential area but very central.

Ramblings

Menú Del Día

hongsabroadLeave a comment

One of the many things we love about Spain is their menú del día (or daily menu). It’s typically served at lunch and consists of a starter, an entree, dessert or coffee, and a drink. Each menú del día costs anywhere from €11 to €18, which is a steal, considering how large the portions are and the price includes all taxes and tips.

We would order three menú del días for the four of us and we always walk away stuffed. You can choose from 3-4 items for each course, and the items are usually pretty fancy!

Starters (from left to right):

Baby squid, lobster/seafood rice, snails and grilled cuttlefish. Some starters could be a meal by themselves!

Entrees (from left to right):

Seafood paella (that’s three portions in the photo), oxtail stew, and grilled squid. The Spaniards make squid so, so well. It’s perfect every time.

Desserts were usually just ok, hence why I didn’t take many pictures. 😅 But we seek out menú del día wherever we go. Can’t miss out on a good deal and good food!

I remember being worried that we wouldn’t be able to adjust to the late meal times in Spain. (Lunch starts at 1pm – 2pm and dinner is at 8pm. Back in SF, we would eat lunch at 11:30am and dinner at 6pm.) But surprisingly, we adjusted within a week. Sometimes we didn’t get hungry for lunch until 2pm! Dinner can be a challenge because we wanted C and O to sleep early. If we went out to eat, we wouldn’t get back home until 9:30pm – 10pm. So, there were times we just bought groceries and cooked dinner at our Airbnb. It can be a nice break from eating out all the time and also getting more vegetables in our bodies!

P.S. We’re actually in Lisbon now, but I’m still catching up on Spain posts!

Ramblings

Valencia

hongsabroadLeave a comment

After a wonderful stay in Barcelona, we boarded a 3 hour train to the birthplace of paella. Baba asked me why we decided to visit Valencia and to be honest, I can’t remember why. I think I had also considered Valencia as a potential place to move to, and I can’t say no to good paella!

At the Valencia train station with our massive luggage.

We stayed in Valencia for 6 days. Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain but is very walkable and has a small town feel. For the first couple of days, we visited some of Valencia’s top attractions.

Mercat Central de València. This is a beautifully ornate public market that sells everything from colorful fruits and seafood to pastries and souvenirs. Unlike La Boqueria in Barcelona, this market was less crowded and touristy. You can see locals here shopping for groceries. There is also a popular restaurant in the market called Central Bar, but we arrived too late and the wait was horrendous.

The City of Arts and Sciences. This is a complex of cool, futuristic buildings that include a movie theater, planetarium and science museum. We read that the museums are better suited for older kids, so we didn’t go inside. But it was still fun to see the unique architecture of the buildings.

Old Town. Also the downtown of Valencia, this charming area has a cathedral (believed to have the original Holy Chalice or Holy Grail), a big plaza, historic monuments, and plenty of restaurants and shopping. It was also in Old Town that we came across a long-running café, Horchatería Santa Catalina, and had horchata. Horchata is a refreshing milk drink made from tiger nuts. It tastes similar to soy milk and is very popular in Valencia.

We made sure to eat as much paella as we could in Valencia. We even took a 1 hour bus to the fishing village of El Palmar, known for its paella. The most common type of paella today is seafood paella, but traditional Valencian paella is made with rabbit, chicken or duck, and broad beans. Unfortunately, the rabbit and chicken is usually a bit dry so we still prefer the seafood paella.

Paella restaurants charge per person and require a minimum of two orders. We usually order for three people, and it’s SO MUCH FOOD. All good though! 😋

The rest of our time in Valencia was spent swimming or going to the beach (which was beautiful but crowded) and discovering amazing playgrounds like Parc Gulliver. The whimsical playground is made up of slides in the shape of the character Gulliver.

Valencia was nice, but a tad slow for us city folk. Most of the charm and action was in Old Town, but it didn’t quite reach the rest of the city. What can I say? We have the attention spans of a flea. 😅

On to Madrid next!

Ramblings

A Hike to Montserrat

hongsabroadLeave a comment

(Another overdue post. I am running behind on my blogging!)

A popular day trip from Barcelona is to Montserrat, a mountain range that’s about a 1-hour train ride from the city. The Benedictine monastery of Santa María also sits at the top of the mountain.

To get there from Barcelona, take the metro to Espanya station, then follow the FGC train signs for Montserrat. You’ll need to take the FGC train (line R5) and tickets can be purchased at the ticket machines. Roundtrip train tickets cost about $50 for the 4 of us.

Quick nap on the train.

We got off at Aeri Montserrat station. Once there, you take a cable car up the mountain but of course Baba chose the hardest route: hiking. The hike itself isn’t long (about 2.5 miles up) but it is strenuous, and made even more challenging with the heat.

Near the trailhead.

The path was unpaved so required lots of scrambling up rocks. Trail markers were spray-painted arrows on rocks, which were thankfully fairly easy to spot.

C and O have some experience with challenging hikes after going to Arches and Canyonlands earlier this year. Though they were drenched in sweat, the hike was relatively easy for them – even while carrying their backpacks! We did make sure to make many stops for snacks and water.

The last half of the hike was the most painful (for me). There were SO. MANY. STAIRS. Just when you thought you reached the top, you round a corner and there were more flights of stairs. 😭

With burning calves and tired feet, we finally made it to the top! The views were gorgeous. I’m so proud of the boys for making the hike look easy and keeping complaints to a minimum. 😂

Amusing story: After the hike, we went to eat at one of the restaurants at the top of the mountain. Within five minutes of walking into the restaurant, it started POURING RAIN. We didn’t think much of it, so we started to order food.

But then, all the restaurant staff rushed from the kitchen into a smaller room just outside the restaurant. They were gesturing towards the ceiling. We couldn’t understand what they were saying, but judging by their tones and expressions they seem worried. Firemen started arriving, and shortly after, the restaurant manager told all guests to leave immediately because of an emergency.

Apparently, the torrential rain had caused a rockslide! The restaurant is nestled against the mountain and the barrier that was used to catch any rockfall was breaking apart. The surrounding area was flooded as well.

We went home without eating lunch. Because of the rain, we were concerned about the trail being too slick so ended up taking the train back down the mountain. Another fun day in Spain!

Ramblings

La Boqueria

hongsabroadLeave a comment

(An overdue post)

Baba and I have reached an age where grocery shopping has become our hobby. 😅 We love to explore markets – supermarkets, wet markets, farmers markets – it’s our favorite type of shopping!

So naturally, we had to visit Mercado de La Boqueria, a huge public market in Barcelona. The market is a labyrinth of vendors selling fruits, seafood, jamón, and tapas. It’s crowded and touristy, but a definite must if you love food. You could spend hours getting lost in there. Just show up early! We showed up at around 9:30am and it was packed an hour later.

Jamón is a staple in Spain and found everywhere in La Boqueria. Many stalls even sell jamón in paper cones for easy handling! (Of course I had to get one.) O wasn’t a huge fan but C loved it.

The boys were drawn to the colorful fruits and fruit drinks at the market. We were surprised to see a few exotic fruits there, like mangosteen and passion fruit.

But the highlight of our visit to La Boqueria was eating at El Quim, a food stall with bar only seating. Their specialty is baby squid with eggs, and it did not disappoint! The squid was so savory and delicious – I just wish the eggs were more runny. Even O, who is a notoriously picky eater, loved the dish. We also ordered padrón green peppers but thought it was a bit too salty.

We had plans to eat at Bar Pinotxo too, but had so much trouble finding it. By the time we found the place, there was a wait and we realized we weren’t that hungry anymore. Bar Pinotxo is supposedly popular for their chickpeas and blood sausage and oxtail stew. If you ever go, let me know how it tastes!

Ramblings

We ❤ Barcelona

hongsabroadLeave a comment

Barcelona is really easy to fall in love with. It’s a vibrant city with lots to see and do, yet has a laid-back vibe. The streets are lined with trees, cute little shops and cafes, people walking their dogs, and conveniences like grocery stores every few blocks. We stayed in the Eixample district, a quieter, more residential area with many chic cafes and restaurants.

I visited Barcelona in 2009, but with a student’s budget and schedule, I saw (and remember) very little about it. This time, we’re lucky enough to be here for 10 days and get to experience so much more than the usual touristy spots. On most days, we’re just wandering around the city and trying to soak up the atmosphere around us.

What we love about Barcelona:

Weather. Spain gets over 300 days of sun a year, and that’s no joke. Even with all its glorious sunshine, it doesn’t get unbearably hot because of Barcelona’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

Food. Spanish Mediterranean cuisine is rated one of the healthiest in the world and it’s easy to see why. We’ve been eating a ton of seafood – all SO good. Meals here are simply prepared (usually just olive oil, salt and garlic) but use fresh, high quality ingredients.

Convenience. It seems that regardless of which area you’re in, you are likely within a few minutes walk from grocery stores, restaurants and cafes. Every store, no matter how big or small, accepts Apple/Google Pay too so there was no need for us to exchange cash or even bring our credit cards!

Public transportation. As someone who hates to drive, having great public transportation is a huge plus. Our Airbnb is a 3 minute walk from the metro station. The metro comes every 2-4 minutes, and buses maybe every 5-10 minutes, that can take you all around the city. The boys loved taking the metro and bus.

Tip: If you’re traveling with kids, you can purchase a family (or “T-Familiar“) card for a discount. One single card can be used by up to 4 people (2 adults and 2 kids). You can buy a card for €10 for 8 rides over 30 days.

Vibe. Sometimes, you just get a good feeling from a city and Barcelona is one of those places. Casual, charming and cosmopolitan, you’ll never feel bored here.

Tomorrow, we leave Barcelona for Valencia. During our awesome time here, Baba and I had second thoughts about moving to Taiwan instead of Spain. But then I remembered the lackluster dim sum we had here, so maybe not. 😅 We need our Asian food!

Ramblings

Summer, Kind of Wonderful

hongsabroadLeave a comment

On top of planning our move abroad and clearing out our apartment, we had the brilliant idea of planning a 2-month trip to Europe over the summer before flying to Taiwan 🙄. I’m excited that we could go on this trip but planning so many things at once is a bit chaotic to say the least.

We thought it would be a good idea to spend time in Europe since we’ll be in Asia for the next few years. And because Spain was our second choice after Taiwan, we definitely wanted to visit it during the trip.

Our full itinerary:

Spain (26 days)

  • Barcelona
  • Valencia
  • Madrid

Portugal (14 days)

  • Porto
  • Lisbon

I’m really intrigued by Portugal. While I’ve been to Spain and Italy (over 15 years ago!), Baba and I have never been to Portugal. For the past few years, there has also been a huge influx of Americans moving to Portugal because of its easy visa requirements, laid back lifestyle and mild climate. I’m curious to see what the hype is all about.

Italy (15 days)

  • Venice
  • Florence
  • Rome

It will be HOT in Europe during the summer, but I guess that will prepare us for the inferno that awaits us in Taiwan? Ahh! I’m not sure my heat-sensitive body can handle.

We are mostly staying in the major cities but plan on doing a few day trips to smaller towns (e.g., Montserrat in Spain and Pisa in Italy). This time, we also have the luxury of staying in each place for an extended period. Our shortest visit is in Porto, where we’re staying for 4 nights. With two kids in tow and 4 suitcases to lug around, we thought it’d be best to take things slow. This is totally different than our previous trips, where we’re zooming to the next place every 2-3 days!

What’s also different this time around is that we’re not planning everything to a tee. We do have our airfare, train tickets and Airbnbs booked (we’re not that crazy!) but we don’t have a set itinerary where we have to see a certain museum on a specific date, or have dinner reservations at a certain restaurant. This is probably due to us having a lot more time to dabble around. But it’s more likely that we’re just being lazy.

Ramblings

A Tale of Two Cities

hongsabroadLeave a comment

From Singapore to Vienna, to Bangkok and to Paris, we searched far and wide for a potential place to live. During the exploratory phase, we often used Numbeo.com to give us data-driven insight into a city’s quality of life. We also considered more subjective factors (like our general feelings about a place) by either drawing from our own experience, or from blogs and YouTube videos.

Eventually, we narrowed it down to two cities. They both pretty much tick all the boxes we are looking for. Yet, they are vastly different, each having its pros and cons, which makes it all the harder to decide!

TAIPEI, TAIWAN

We visited Taipei as a family in 2019. Back then we were already considering Taipei as a possible place to move to, so we tried looking at the city through the lens of a local. We visited neighborhoods we were interested in, shopped at local markets, and toured elementary schools.

Our time in Taipei was wonderful. The people are friendly, we always felt safe, and of course the food was amazing!

But we’re aware that visiting a place for a week is different that actually living there. We acknowledge there are downsides of living in Taipei too.

  1. Weather: Taiwan gets ridiculously hot and humid from spring through summer. It’s going to be a tough adjustment since anything over 70°F is hot for us.

  2. Geopolitical tensions: If you’ve been following the news, tensions between China and Taiwan have been brewing. There is a constant threat of China invading Taiwan – some say it’ll happen in the next few years, others say it will never happen. Either way, we recognize there’s a risk.

MADRID, SPAIN

Spain has been attracting lots of expats lately because of its relatively lax visa requirements, laidback lifestyle and Mediterranean climate. We debated between living in Barcelona or Madrid, but ultimately chose Madrid because of its lower cost of living, more things to do, and is less touristy than Barcelona.

The funny thing is, I am the only one out of the family who has visited Spain…and the last time I went was in 2009! It’s a little crazy to base our decision on only my experience over 10 years ago but if so many people are flocking to Spain, it can’t be that bad right?

There are many things to appreciate about Madrid – great weather, proximity to the rest of Europe, delicious food – but there are some downsides too (at least from our perspective).

  1. Food: I know what you’re thinking. What’s the problem with tapas, paella, and jamón? Absolutely nothing! Spanish food is incredible…except at the end of day, the food we crave and love most is Asian food. No matter where we are, a bowl of pho or in Baba’s case – a durian – is like a comforting hug.

    Also, I’m not sure I can deal with the meal times in Spain. Lunch doesn’t start until 1 or 2pm, and dinner until 8 or 9pm. I’m an old lady – I eat lunch by 11:30am and dinner by 6pm! I’m going to be so hangry all the time in Spain!

  2. Language/Culture: Spain has a rich, vibrant culture and Spanish is a widely spoken language. We just have little to no prior experience with anything Spanish. We’re Chinese (albeit ABCs), and grew up with Asian customs and traditions. I took Chinese in high school and college (though my ability has regressed to a first grader’s), and the boys have been taking Chinese classes online and after school. Of course, we can learn Spanish and try to assimilate to Spanish culture…but it’ll just be a much steeper learning curve.

We realize that no place will be perfect. Despite all its problems, San Francisco will always be home and it’ll be next to impossible to find anything comparable. We are not trying to find a better experience but simply, a different one. One that will surprise us, enthrall us and push us out of our comfort zones.

I’ll share which place we ended up deciding on next!